1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a web browser execution system and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for monitoring and protecting system resources from a web browser by preventing malicious activities through the web browser.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In general, a web browser is software for enabling a user computer to access the Internet and read various information or web pages acquired from a web server, and includes plug-in programs operating in the web browser such as ActiveX Control.
Access to only system resources of a very limited region is basically allowed such that important system resources are not destroyed or exposed according to a web page creator's intentions when processing a web page in the web browser.
Here, the system resources accessed by the web browser are present in a computer device to be executed by the web browser and refer to files containing various types of information, registries, and the like.
On the other hand, some of various plug-in programs like ActiveX Control to be executed in the web browser are allowed to access system resources for web-page processing.
In particular, like other general application programs, ActiveX Control can access system resources without any limitations.
For this reason, attempts by malicious users to perform malicious activities using weaknesses of the plug-in program such as ActiveX Control or the web browser are rapidly increasing.
The weaknesses of the web browser including the plug-in program such as ActiveX Control are as follows.
First, there may be a problem concerning file write for newly generating a malicious file in the system or maliciously updating or deleting existing file content.
Second, there may be a problem concerning file read for unlawfully reading and leaking file content stored in the system.
Third, there may be a problem concerning registry write for newly generating a registry key and value in the system or maliciously changing or deleting a basic registry key and value.
Fourth, there may be a problem concerning registry read for unlawfully reading and leaking a registry key value stored in the system.
Fifth, there may be a problem concerning process execution for unlawfully executing a file stored in the system.
Sixth, there may be a problem concerning process termination for terminating an arbitrary ongoing process in the system.